An Epiphony List.

"It doesn't make a bit of difference if you start what you can't finish. Every story needs an ending, after all."
- Motion City Soundtrack, "Can't Finish What You Started"

Working graveyard shifts as a security officer isn't as bad of a gig as it might sound. Sure, there may not be much to secure overnight, necessarily, but simply being awake and knowing that almost everyone else in the city is sleeping puts the mind into an odd place. It was at 6:30-ish AM at the tail end of a recent shift--while watching the sunrise behind the Hollywood Hills--when I had an epiphony. I took out my Post-It Notepad and my black ink pen and started scribbling frantically on page after page of tiny orange paper. For one half of an hour--until my shift had officially ended--I poured over those little scraps like it was my job. (I should probably take this opportunity to point out that I wasn't guarding anything of much importance, just the backstage area of an empty concert arena. Nothing that would deserve my full attention.)

By the end of my scribbling session, I had produced several barely articulated ideas. One of which was a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish in the 9 months I would be here on the West Coast. And because I know you will all riot in the streets if I don't post it, here is that list:

1. Climb a small mountain.
2. Complete a screenplay.
3. Audition for at least 3 real acting roles. (Not as an extra!)
4. Learn to ride a bike.
5. Go to a taping of Jay Leno.
6. Play guitar in a subway station.
7. Learn to swim.
8. Visit the LA or San Diego Zoo. (Or Both.)
9. Play beach volleyball with a group of people.
10. Get at least 1 piece of writing published.
11. Fully watch the sun rise/set.
12. Drink a frozen alcoholic beverage on a beach.
13. Purchase an item of California memorabilia.
14. Have a conversation with a famous person.
15. Start a blog.
16. Make a collection of California photos.
17. Get a tattoo.
18. Gain 15 pounds.
19. Take the girlfriend on a romantic beach picnic.
20. Take a long walk on the beach.

There. Not such outlandish goals, are they? Now, one of the things on this checklist can already be checked off. (Can you guess which one? Hint: it's the one with the word "blog" in it.) And a couple of these can easily be combined and completed in one single swoop. For instance, I could pack a picnic basket with some margaritas (in thermoses, of course), take it to the beach, and sip them while watching the sun go down. And if that lovely lime drink hasn’t hit me too hard, we could follow it up with a nice, romantic walk along the shore. See? I'm multi-tasking already.

But in all honesty, I hope I'm able to slice my way through the entirety of the twenty items. It would provide me with a great sense of accomplishment and complete my voyage into this vast unknown that they call Southern California.
Wish me luck.

This Entry In Song:
Jack's Mannequin - "Resolution"

Be Back Soon,
Shaky Jake